Sporting Kansas City maintained first place with a 3-0 win on the road, and they now have a chance to further pad their lead with a double-match week against two of the Conference’s bottom three teams. Dom Dwyer and Benny Feilhaber are showing that they’re more than ready to carry the attacking load when Graham Zusi leaves for the FIFA World Cup camp as well.

If there was any doubt that New England’s recent surge was for real, a 5-0 victory at home against Seattle should put concerns to rest. Rookie Patrick Mullins has now scored in consecutive matches, and Diego Fagundez recaptured some of his attacking form from last season. This club has always been stout defensively; if they can get their attack going, watch out.

A huge road win in Philadelphia granted D.C. United a jolt in the standinghe news that striker Eddie Johnson won’t be going to the FIFA World Cup only serves to benefit the club, especially if he plays with a chip on his shoulder.

The Dynamo was stunned at home by Real Salt Lake, fueled by a chip-shot goal from Javier Morales in the match’s opening seconds. Will Bruin missed the match through injury, but rookie Mark Sherrod notched two goals in his absence—a positive development for Houston, provided Bruin is fit moving forward. The Dynamo figures to need the additional attacking mettle should Brad Davis go to Brazil.

Match of the season? Their 5-4 loss at home against Chicago featured two hat tricks by two different players, including Bradley Wright-Phillips, who is now up to eight goals over his last four matches. Still, conceding five goals at home to then-winless Chicago has to be a concern for Mike Petke.

Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter credited fatigue for the Crew’s week of results. After a full week of training and rest, his side faces a test at Providence Park against Portland. Three players called-in for FIFA World Cup preliminary rosters certainly forces some changes to the lineup in the coming weeks.

7. Toronto FC — 9 pts. | Bye; Week 11: vs. New York Red Bulls

Toronto FC had a bye from MLS play but a midweek 2-1 win over Vancouver in the Amway Canadian Championship featured reassuring goals from both Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley. The latter is off to Jürgen Klinsmann’s FIFA World Cup camp, but the news that Defoe is only an alternate for Roy Hodgson’s England squad sh0ould benefit the Reds.

It might have been a season-saving result for Chicago, which surely is energized after racking up five goals in Red Bull Arena—three from rookie Harrison Shipp. The Fire has little time to celebrate, however, as they face conference-leading Sporting Kansas City next.

A disappointing result at home to rival D.C. United dropped the Union to ninth place. With just one goal over their last four games, and not having won in nine matches, Philadelphia faces a double-match week against two of the top four defenses in MLS per goals conceded.

Montreal fell at home to Sporting Kansas City, a result that might have been expected. One result that wasn’t expected was a 2-1 loss to FC Edmonton in a first-leg Amway Canadian Championship match. The Impact has a chance at redemption over Edmonton in the second leg on Wednesday, and then they travel to D.C. United for an MLS tilt on Saturday.